Linkguistics

Part 2: Sidequests

Link didn't understand much of what the sad child was saying, but he knew he was going to make this kid happy or die trying. He hadn't meant to make the kid sad and hoped it wasn't his fault. He does understand cooking and cooking has not changed since his time if instinct is anything to go by. It is more difficult to understand a little kid than the clear-speaking Impa or Cado.

"Koko pro mis edtoma ke Cottla so me has tyveg giecr eams oup..." Link keeps pulling various ingredients out of his bag, hoping one is the right one and waving them in front of the kid. She doesn't seem to notice. "Koko pro mis edto mak e Cottla som eha styveg giecre ams oup..." This isn't working. Link tries a new communication tactic.

"Draw swift carrot?" Link asks. The kid is not paying attention and keeps moping. Link looks at the building nearby that looks like a shop. He doesn't want to leave the little girl alone but scampers over there. He returns triumphant with the carrot and presents it to the kid.

Link says as the little girl cooks. "You are a good sister!" He is rewarded with a joyful smile. After the soup is cooked, he happily chows down a spoonful of delicious soup as he listens to the little girl chatter. He is not putting too much effort into listening but he picks up on the tone easily enough and realizes the problem has returned. He sighs inwardly.

"OH, NO! Koko isou tofg oat but ter... Koko isab adda ught erwh o can'td oany th ingrig ht... " Koko is still lamenting the lack of butter but Link is already making a beeline to the store to learn a new vocabulary word.

The hot buttered apple almost makes up for the next problem but Link at least has raw meat on hand. He is confounded by the next request and heads to the store.

Trissa looked at the door again with a smile. She can forgive a lack of knowledge for a polite paying customer.

"What is courser bee honey?" Trissa puzzles over how to describe this and makes a buzzing sound and mimics eating something. She also tries to draw a honeycomb in the air and the light of comprehension dawns in Link's eyes.

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"...So what did the cucco have to do with the teacher going for a walk?" Cotera asks Link. Link had begun with a massive smile when he realized the Great Fairy knew the old language. She is trying to make sense of the joke and Link's expression gets more annoyed with each question the Great Fairy asks.

She is a born story interrupter, and explaining the joke is not working.

After this last interruption Link says, "Never mind Ma'am. You have a good day." He mutters under his breath about uncultured heathens and fairies being as bad as monks as he stalks back to town.

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Later that afternoon, Link came back to ask Dorian a new word. "What word attitude?" Dorian was dreading abstract concept words. Link is intelligent, but defining the abstract stuff if starting to annoy Dorian. He does his best until both men give up. Link walks off to the pond and looks at the torches for a while. He is obviously in disbelief about something. He goes back to the arrow shop and comes back again. He shrugs and jumps into the pond then spends some time splashing around the base of a torch. The two guards appointed by Impa know they should be watching for danger but they wonder if they are supposed to be doing something to help Link.

Eventually a torch base comes loose and is disconnected from its pedestal. Link pulls himself out of the water and picks up the torch. He then holds the thing into the camp fire to light it and takes it with him to the Curious Quiver.

"Cado, do you think he misunderstood a request to light the torches?" Dorian asks. Cado is still baffled for a moment before he catches on. Cado feels embarrassed for Link as he returns with a sheepish slump to his shoulders. After putting the torch back in its proper place and lighting the torches, Link comes over to chat.

"You have Cuccos?" He had zero trouble with that vocabulary word. It was probably exactly the same back in Link's day. He also seemed to have no trouble with 'fireflies.' Cuccos have not changed one bit over the millennia.

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"...Now please return this heirloom to its pedestal." Dorian says. Link nods. He isn't doing anything and Dorian smacks his palm against his own forehead.

"You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

This time Link nods with certainty.

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Link realized rather quickly that his ability to process what people are saying is directly proportional to his mental exhaustion. Luckily he is somewhat rested by the time he gets to a bridge to chat with a friendly red Zora. Unfortunately accents are a whole new pack of Lizalfos to deal with.

As far as his brain is going, it sounds like, "I am that Zora prince, Sidon. Myself take an eye of talent this is unparalleled..." Link got lost in the middle as he was translating mentally and tuned back in partway through. "Our needed yours strength, warrior! Win't you are a pleasure enter to Zora domain taking my?"

Link thinks about it. Um, was that a rhetorical question or... Yeah, it's probably rhetorical and small talk stuff. Link says "Sure thing." The Zora is so happy Link wonders if he made a mistake or agreed to something. Oh well. Link adopts the strategy of smiling and nodding and trying to translate as Prince Sidon talks. Link assumes he is speaking about the geography.

"Ohh! this right! I take one thing this will appreciation to given to you are! ..."

Oh no, I lost track, what is that bottle?

"...Prevent its effects will don't seem to worked of Zora. Perhaps due make specifically of Hylians. It should work wonders of you are, though! Me shall went with in ahead and create sure this is don't anything strange moving in where you are am headed. I'm counting in you are!"

Link didn't quite catch that and he is now holding a bottle as Sidon swims off. Link opens the bottle and takes an experimental sniff. It was a gift and probably if meant to poison him, it would be less obviously foul smelling. Maybe Prince Sidon is really bad at cooking, but that doesn't make sense. Prince is a royal title. The guy seemed to be asking for help and Link just agreed to help him.

Link tries to take a swig and gags on the mixture. He hopes whatever he just agreed to help with isn't anything major. Also whoever cooked this needs lessons.